Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to an image formation apparatus, a terminal apparatus, and an information processing apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Image formation apparatuses such as multi-functional peripherals (MFPs) may constitute an image processing system. In the system, a job is stored in an image formation apparatus or a server included in the system. A user can indicate processing of a job by issuing a job to the system through such a processing apparatus as a personal computer (PC) and thereafter logging in an image formation apparatus. Such a method of processing a job is also called ubiquitous printing.
In order to realize ubiquitous printing, the user performs an operation to log in an image formation apparatus included in the system. When logging in the image formation apparatus is successful, the image formation apparatus obtains information on a job from an apparatus which stores a job issued by the user in the system. Then, the image formation apparatus which has received log-in obtains a job designated among jobs issued by the user from an apparatus which stores jobs, and processes the job.
In such a system, information on processing of a job for each user or each user group may collectively be managed, because an upper limit for an amount of processing of jobs is set for each user or fees are charged based on an amount of processing of jobs. In order to realize this collective management, the system includes a server for management and the server counts an amount of processing of jobs for each user or each user group.
The system, however, may include an image formation apparatus which does not have a function to perform log-in processing or a function to communicate with a server. The system may also include an image formation apparatus which can no longer perform further processing of jobs because of high processing load. In such a case, the user cannot indicate job processing by logging in that image formation apparatus, which lowers convenience of the user.
In order to address such a problem, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2013-191000 discloses a technique for a printer without an authentication function to have another apparatus perform that function instead. In a case of a system not having an authentication server, however, this technique cannot be made use of.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-209659 discloses a technique allowing a remote operation through another apparatus. With the technique in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-209659, however, system information on an apparatus itself is transferred to another apparatus and the system information is used in another apparatus. Therefore, in a case of an image formation apparatus which cannot perform log-in processing or job processing as above, the image formation apparatus cannot remotely be operated through another apparatus even with the use of the technique in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-209659.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-186270 discloses a system which transfers data in accordance with a state of equipment. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2013-210860 discloses a technique for giving a notification, through printing, about a reason why a job cannot be printed in an apparatus low in panel display function, when a print job cannot be printed on a designated printer.